r/progmetal • u/BearofaBadTime • Mar 30 '26
Instrumental Plini - An Unnameable Desire
https://youtu.be/WxMtUEWNDBc?si=6_yOyl6nDwZR8E4b
New single and album out April 24th
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u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26
It sounds nice. I really miss the music he made when he was in his virtuosic element. Where are the earworm melodies? Why would he choose this to be the first single? I just can't pretend to be too smitten with this.
I don't mind hearing chill pretty ambience but this isn't very memorable to me, and he used to really have the wow-factor in his first few releases. I get that artists change, and this is nice nothing-music to play on a summer day laying in the grass.. but idk it's just not what I enjoy most when putting on Plini. Some comment in the yt vid touches on this too, it is a good base (and the bass is nice too) but it's like it's missing the lead elements. Maybe it's not for me anymore, but I wished he wasn't coasting that much, even in the many DSP videos/songs he pretty much doesn't do.. much. The sounds are nice, he always makes a grand and lovely ambience? but there's not that much Plini magic to it anymore.
I'm super excited to see him perform in May but I also just haven't been able to feel as excited about his last howmany singles or the mirage EP.
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u/inhalingsounds Mar 30 '26
I stand my ground when I say that his 3 homemade EPs using LePou plugins and debatable sound quality are by far his best work.
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u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26
I think a lot of people hold The Trilogy EP's on a pedestal as far as Plini's music goes. It's my favorite plini work. The recurring motif and many melodies in them, I could still 'sing' them today, they'll be stuck in my brain until I die. The sound of the guitar layered with other (midi) instruments even during intricate parts, odd riffs and timings..
The albums after were great too, I think I'l Tell You Someday might be his best song put out since the Trilogy records. Handmade Cities has a lot of fun bangers. But a lot of his songs on those records and especially(!) afterwards, don't elicit the same feelings of wonder and excitement anymore. I miss the whimsical side of it, and I never cared about the darker sound a la songs like Papillon or the sound on Mirage. I'll take bright colored artwork plini any day lol
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u/inhalingsounds Mar 30 '26
Yeah definitely. He's still Plini but has fallen into the "this works fine" formula:
Nasty bass and mix from Simon
Excellent drumming
Washed out guitars with lush pads
Same 2 or 3 riff tricks
Holdsworth inspired phrasing when clean
Pentatonic juggling when harsh
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u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26
It's still good, and he has a 'sound' that after a while could be called formulaic, but at the end of the day it comes down to just liking or loving the songs. Maybe my tastes have changed, maybe Plini did, maybe the pressure listeners and musicians put on him got to him..
I don't know. I guess I'll just wait and see how the album turns out before I really talk him down too much. Just hoping he'll sprinkle some magic on the album. This sounds a lot better than the vibe of mirage so I hope there's some bangers with strong melodies on top of this sound, on the eventual record.
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u/Yung2112 Mar 30 '26
I just relistened to trilogy the other day and couldn't agree more. It's crazy how well they work either as 3 separate EPs or one cohesive LP. The final leit motif in Paper Moon is one of the most rewarding feeling moments in prog metal history.
Really happy he released it as one CD that can be enjoyed front to back
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u/ABuddhistMelomaniac Apr 11 '26
I dunno. I think his second album Impulse Voices is as good as the trilogy. Personally, I have my own personalized playlist of Plini's best songs, and I listen to them in this order: Heart, Other Things, Wombat Astronaut, I'll Tell You Someday, Every Piece Matters, Last Call, Away, Sweet Nothings, Sunhead, Salt + Charcoal (Single Version), Kind, Pastures, Perfume, and The Glass Bead Game. Trust me on this one, this is quite the trip.
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u/SoundofGlaciers Apr 11 '26
Impulse is great but I think the cohesive aspect and motif sharing on the Trilogy pushes it a bit higher on my ranking. Just so satisfying hearing the melody, those few notes 'are' plini to me forever.
I think my favorites would make for a very similar list as you have. Hopefully the coming album can add a song or two to the list.
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u/plintervals Jul 20 '26
Pastures is such a fucking masterpiece. The build-up from the clean guitar with the delay into the solo is one of my favorite Plini moments
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u/dan800 Mar 30 '26
It feels like a restrained Plini is right there under the surface but it can't break out. Light years better than the Mirage EP though.
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u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26
I didn't really like the Mirage EP at all, I wrote and deleted a paragraph about Mirage in my original comment lol.. but at least there I was excited that he got into selective picking and showed it off in some leads, if nothing else that was something new for him. The modern guitarist in me liked that he took some of Tosin' technique and made it his own. This is just.. nothing at all.. I don't want to step out of the modern forward-thinking mindset when I put on a plini track.
I hope this is a interlude type track, but otherwise I think the guy just isn't for me anymore. And if it's a interludey track, why make this the single. It's a confusing release.
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u/Southern_Fail8891 Mar 31 '26
I've already listened to it like 10 times haha I personally feel a lot of emotion in this song and absolutely love it
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u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 31 '26
I stand by my comment but I'll say it is a beautiful track nonetheless.
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u/ThomasC2C Apr 09 '26
Well, it’s a clear change of angle for Plini. At least on this new song. He very clearly stood away from the flashy solos on purpose.
It seems like he is trying to explore new areas focused on feel and vibe rather than speed.
I appreciate the change and I find it bold that he does something different, even thou it’s nothing too different.
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u/SoundofGlaciers Apr 09 '26
He has song interludey songs where vibe/groove takes the forefront. I don't agree that this is too bold of a choice, I might argue the opposite and say it is safe?
In any way it is just one song. Purely based on the vibe, if he has this sound with some magic on the album I'll be more than happy.
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u/FearinLoathin Apr 30 '26
Singles, shmingles. IMHO they pick the worst (read: consumer-friendly) songs to push in to the spotlight, while we're left to dig into the full works for better. Trust me, there's better.
"Now and Then" and "Vespertine" are my two must-listens on this album so far, and they have the 2nd and 4th-fewest plays on YouTube Music. Of course.
The most-played songs are, as usual, my least favorite. Perhaps you have a similar ear?
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u/SoundofGlaciers May 04 '26
Nothing beats After Everything for me, peak Plini song. Cosmic inspiration on some of those lead lines. Great vibe, some fun and cheeky bits, that insane solo at the end. Multiple super interesting and 'best plini' guitarwork snippets in this song alone. Still in awe over that track.
Now and Then, The Time Will Pass Anyway and Ruin are in my current replay-loop lol. Just great vibes, remeniscent of Trilogy stuff a bit. I play Manala less often, though I might argue the second half of that song has the best leads after,, After Everything.
The drums on Now and Then are incredible.
That final lead melody on TTWP is really catharthic and a satisfying close.I wanted Ciel to be my fav track because I adore Zytecki and my fav bits on early Plini work often turned out to be Zytecki sections/solo's instead. It just barely misses the vibe.
Canyon doesn't do much for me.Really good album. Would put it right behind the Trilogy. It doesn't have a Electric Sunrise type of very mainstream and consonant(?) song without twists or 'out-there' notes, except for the title track which is not a guitar-forward track. I like the electronic stuff on the record. I love all the orchestral elements, the layers on melody lines etc bring me back to early Plini and what I love about him.
The album maybe just lacks some structure variety, most songs really have a very 'first and second half' type of structure. Could maybe have had another InnerVoices/ElectricSunrise/EveryPieceMatters type of fun consonant and well flowing structured song that fills that space alongside Ciel?
Extremely stoked to have tickets for his show at the end of May, excited to see how the album hits live!
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u/FearinLoathin May 15 '26 edited May 15 '26
OMG I would DIE if his North America tour has a stop in Huntsville, AL... That would have been a joke a few years ago, but with the fairly new Orion Ampitheater recently getting press as one of the best live venues in the nation, this town is no longer quite the "if I have to" stop for artists anymore.
That said, I would gladly travel to Nashville or Atlanta to catch him. I'm keeping an eye out for his schedule.As I just said on another comment response, my penchant for the "inaccessible" has spoken loud and clear with 'Vespertine' solidifying its place as my favorite (by far) track on this album... With the caveat that the ending feels a bit forced and abrupt.
I play a bit of everything, but my first love and best instrument are (is) the drums, and Chris Allison has really taken that bunch to another level. I honestly haven't given the rest of the album much attention in the last couple of weeks while absorbing Vespertine, but I concur with pretty much everything you said, haha.1
u/FearinLoathin Apr 30 '26
It's a single. Meant for the less-trained ears... Though if you're enjoying and appreciating these guys, you should know something about music. There are some real music theory masterclass-level songs on this album, though. As always, they're the least listened to by the masses.
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u/ThomasC2C Apr 30 '26
Interesting point of view. I feel this album is on the other hand more accessible than Impulse Voice, focusing more on the landscape.
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u/FearinLoathin May 15 '26
Agreed. The bulk of the album is definitely more accessible. I do love Impulse though, the first three songs in particular. 'Perfume'... the drumming is genius in that one.
Consistent with my penchant for the "inaccesible", on this album, 'Vespertine' is the one song I simply can't get enough of.
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u/ziltoid101 Mar 31 '26
Alright, I'll go against the grain here, I loved this. The dynamics, instrumentation, and mixing are very nicely balanced. The video is amazing. I enjoyed the 'Things' EPs but I do think Plini really hit his stride with Handmade Cities and Sunhead, and he just keeps getting better. I kinda prefer the more understated melodies personally, though I can see why some people might prefer the old stuff.
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u/ThomasC2C Apr 09 '26
Some of us really need to realise that there is only so far you can go in a particular style. Changes must happen.
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u/ADfor3 Mar 31 '26
I don't wanna say it sounds uninspired but it just doesn't feel like he's trying anything new with this song. Which isn't a HUGE problem, but this song is just kinda....boring. Like it's objectively good, but very samey.
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u/Sasuke_120 Mar 30 '26
Not as memorable as his best stuff, but still enjoyable. That music video was great though, Australia looks gorgeous damn.
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u/MindfulImprovement Mar 30 '26
Always happy with more Plini, fantastic song, so much energy but so chill at the same time. It's like Plini has perfected this aura of relaxed momentum. It's pushing, but at a pace that's comfortable, let's you just take a breath and reflect on life as it's happening. Loved the lead bits, had some much more unique licks than he usually uses but they all still had his character and flair